Cheese-cutter.



No. 769,827 PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904. G. W. MARTIN.

CHEESE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15,1904.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHEET 1 Witnesses flea/ 46M190,

Inventor.

Httomegs' Witne sse No. 769,827. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904. G. W. MARTIN.

CHEESE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.15. 1904.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

62/ 07 43 i I r I I Httoregs PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

G. w. MARTIN.

CHEESE CUTTER.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR.15. 1904- 3 SHEETSSHEET 3 -N0 MODEL.

Inventor.

{I Httomegs Patented September 13, 1904.

PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE W. MARTIN, OF PARIS, TEXAS.

CHEESE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,827, dated September 13, 1904:.

Application filed March 15, 1904. Serial No. 198,278. (No model.)

To o/ZZ whom it Uta/y concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paris, in the county of Lamar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Cheese-Gutter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cheese-cutters.

The principal object of the invention is to. provide a mechanism for cutting cheese into segments of any size, each representing a certain weight or value and provision being made for accurately measuring the size of the seg ment of cheese to be out.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which provision is made for the ready and convenient movement of the cheese for any angular distance, depending on the quantity to be cut, and then looking the cheese and cutter-board rigidly in place during the cutting operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for forming a central opening in the cheese when first placed on the cutter-board in order to permit the convenient introduction of a portion of the knife and gage blade guiding devices.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this class in connection with a calculating device disposed in convenient position and so arranged that the person selling a cheese of a certain value may by proper manipulation of the calculatingdevice bring into view a table showing the total value of the cheese and the value of each of its aliquot parts, this being primarily divided into three hundred and sixty, representing the sev eral radial cuts which may be made, so that the seller, knowing the value of each segment, may cut segments of any size and representing any value.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cheese-cutter constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, portions being broken away in order to more clearlyillustrate the construction. Fig. 3 is an elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the removable center post of the machine. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view illustrating the arrangement of the cutting-blade and its guide. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation of the calculatingcasing and the strip on which the tables are arranged. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the gage-blade carrier. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the cheese-perforator detached. Fig. 9 is a view of a portion of one of the tables for indicating quantities of cheese to be sold for a certain amount. Fig. 10 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7 illustrating a modification of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The frame of the machine includes a base 1. having a number of projecting lugs 2, to which are secured a plurality of posts 3, 4c, and 5, the posts 3 and 5 being disposed approximately at diametrically opposite points, while the post 4: is disposed at an angle of rather more than ninety degrees with the post 3. The upper ends of the several posts are connected to a frame 6, including three arms radiating from the vertical plane of the axis of the base. The base is provided with a centrally-disposed circular lug 7, that is adapted to enter and form a pivotal center for the cutter-board. In this lug is an opening noncircular in form receiving a non circular tenon 8, forming part of a hollow removable center post 9, the upper end of which passes through an opening formed in the frame 6 and is rigidly confined in position by a setscrew 10. This post is removable in order to permit the placing of the cheese on the cutter-board for the formation of an opening at the center of the cheese and is afterward placed in position extending through the opening and being held by the upper and lower frame members. The base 1 is provided with a plurality of rollers 11, on which rests a revoluble cutter-board 12, having a plurality of concentric grooves or indicating-rings 13, by means of which the cheese may be centered on the cutter-board when first placed thereon.

The cheese-cutting knife 15 is mounted in suitable guiding-grooves 16 and 17, the groove 16 being formed on the inner face of the post 3, at a point near one side thereof, and the groove 17 being formed in the periphery of the hollow center post 9, this groove being of V shape in sectional plan and the inner edge of the cutting-blade being curved and slightly beveled in order to fit snugly in the groove, the position of the parts being such that one face of the blade shall be placed in adirect radial line from the axis of the center of the base. The knife-operating lever is pivotally connected at its rear end to the upper portion of the frame 6 and is thence bent in such manner as to extend directly over the cutterblade, being connected. to said cutter-bladeby a pair of links 19 and the arrangement of the parts being such that the thrust on the cutting-blade will be in a direct vertical line, so as to avoid jamming the. knife in its guides, and render the operation of the cutting more easily effected. The outer end of the lever is provided with a suitable handle of any ordinary construction.

The posts 3 and 4 serve as supports for the are 20, that is rather more than ninety degrees in length and bears, preferably on its upper face, graduations representing a quarter-circle, or ninety degrees, of which the first is disposed at ten degrees from the radial line of the cutting-blade, and, if necessary, these graduations may be further subdivided. On this. are is mounted a slidable carrier 22, including a pair of blocks or lugs having openings for the reception of the arcuate bar, and one of these blocks or lugs is provided with a spring 24:, which bears against the outer surface of the bar and tends to hold the carrier or tends to retard the movement of the carrier to some extent. The opposite lug is provided with a straight opening for the passage of a set-screw 25, which may form a handle for convenience in moving the carrier around on the arcuate bar, and when the carrier has reached the desired point a slight turn of the screwv will lock it, and thus hold the carrier during the operation of the cutting-knife. The carrier, is provided with a bearing-opening for the reception of a vertically-disposed arbor 26, on which is secured a friction-disk 27, that is held against the inner surface of the arcuatevbar, or a pinion may be used and the inner surface of the bar provided with rack-teeth. The upper end of the arbor 26 serves as a support for ahand or pointer 28, adapted to travel over the graduated dial 29, supported by the carrier, and this dial is divided into ten equal parts or divisions, and each of these is again subdivided into ten equal parts, the main divisions representing each one degree and the subdivisions one-tenth of one degree. or pinion has a circumference equal to the distance between the main graduations on the arcuate bar, so that during movement of the carrier through an arc of ten degrees the indicator will revolve once; but if a greater or less movement is made the number of degrees .will be accurately measured, so that the carrier may be traveled through any desired distance andthis distance measured in degrees and tenths of degrees. The carrier is provided with a depending lug, which may form a part of the spring-carrying lug, and to said lug is pivoted a gage-blade 29, the inner edge of which is arranged on a curved line struck from the center of a pivot-pin 30, by which the gage-blade is connected to the carrier. The curved edge of the gage-blade enters a vertical groove 31, formed in a pin 32, that extendsdown through the hollow center base 9, and is held from vertical play by a pin 33. The pin 32 has revoluble movement to the extent of ninety degrees, the center post being provided with a slot 34 of sufficient size to permit this movement of the pin and the gageblade, and one wall of the slot is in radial alinement with the radial face of the cutter-blade. It will be noted that owing to the arrangement of the inner curved end of the cutter-blade and the groove 17, in which it is guided, that the gage-blade may be moved very close to the cutter-blade and sufiiciently close, in fact, to permit contact of the two blades for almost their entire length, so that a segment of the cheese representing only a single degree may be cut, if desired. The arcuate bar 20 is provided with a slot 36, disposed adjacent to the post 3 in order to permit the movement of the gage-blade to inoperative position, as shown by dotted lines, when a cheese is to be placed in position on the cutterboard. The upper edge of the gage-blade is curved or bent over, as indicated at 37, in order to permit its ready adjustment to operative and inoperative positions.

When a cheese is to be placed on the cutter-board, the gage-plate is thrown up out of the way, with its pivotal arm entered in the slot 36 of arcuate bar 20, and the hollow center post and pin are removed after the setscrew 10 has been loosened. The cuttingblade is then raised and the cheese placed on the board and centered by means of the indieating-rings 13. When this has been properly accomplished, a perforator is bolted to the cutter-blade and serves to form a central opening in the cheese for the passage 'of the center post 9.

The perforator comprises a tube 40, having The rollerv a sharpened lower edge of a length sufficient to extend a considerable distance above the guiding-opening of the frame 6, the perforator passing through this opening and being guided thereby during its downward movement. From the top of the tube projects a radially-disposed arm or blade 41, having an offset portion 42 to permit the passage of one of the connecting-links 19 between the operating-lever and the blade. Near the lower end of the arm 41 are two openings 42, and the upper portion of the cutter-blade is provided with similar openings 43, which permit the passage of locking-screws 44, by means of which the arm may be secured to the blade. The perforated tube is provided with a guiding-groove 45 to receive the inner edge of the cutting-blade during the first cutting operation of the latter. The operating-lever is depressed, and the perforator and cutting-blade act simultaneously, the perforator serving to form a central opening in the cheese, while the blade forms the first radial cut therein. The operating-lever is now raised, and the perforator is removed, after which the center post is placed in position and locked by means of the set-screw. The gage-blade is then moved to such position that it may be inserted in the radial cut formed by the knife, the inner curved edge of the gage-blade being introduced into the vertical slot 31 of pin 32. This having been accomplished, the carrier 22 may be moved in order to adjust the gageblade any desired distance from the cuttingblade, after which the set-screw 25 is turned and the gage-blade held locked while the cutter is cutting the first segment from the cheese.

The calculating device employed in connection with the cutter and used merely as a matter of convenience is preferably contained in a casing 45, that is clamped to one of the arms of the upper frame 6. This casing has a display-opening 46 and has bearings for the reception of winding-rollers 47, provided with external knobs by which either may be turned in order to roll and unroll a ribbon 48, bearing suitable calculating-tables. The ribbon is provided with tables representing the subdivisions and values of subdivisions of cheese having a predetermined total valuesay, for instance, from a cheese worth two dollars to acheese worth ten dollars and disposed in increasing arithmetical series having five cents for the common differenceas two dollars, two dollars and five cents, two dollars and ten cents, and so on up to ten dollars-and each has the number of degrees and tenths of degrees required for each cheese for the worth in various amount of money as, for instance, five cents, ten cents, fifteen cents, twenty cents, and so onand this may be carried on to any extent for fractional values, although for all practical purposes these tables of values will be sufficient, and a mental estimate will sufiice for fractional parts. The value of the cheese is printed to the left of the strip, and then in two columns extending toward the right hand of the strip are figures representing in the top row the number of degrees and in the bottom row the number of tenths of degrees which are to be sold for certain amounts, and these amounts will appear at the edge of the display-opening, as indicated, so that by turning one or other of the rollers the amount representing the value of the cheese on the cutting-table may be brought opposite the displayopening, and then in alinement with each of the marks representing the value will appear the measured quantity of cheese to be sold .for that value.

In preparing the scale, taking a cheese worth four dollars as an instance, this retail value of four dollars is also represented by three hundred and sixty degrees. Then if four hundred cents are represented by three hundred and sixty degrees one cent will be represented by the quotient resulting from dividing three hundred and sixty by four hundred, or nine tenths of a degree, and five cents will be represented by five times ninetenths, or four and five-tenths degrees, and a ten cent value will be represented by ten times nine-tenths, or nine degrees. These are properly arranged on the several tables, and any table may be turned to displayposition.

With a device of this character it is not necessary to enter into complicated calculations such as usually are necessary where the cheese is sold by weight, although, of course, it is understood that cheese as a rule is made in predetermined weights and that segments of different size will represent approximately the normal weights. With a device of this character it is possible to quickly adjust the calculator for a cheese of any diameter and thickness or of any value, and the same results follow whether a four dollar cheese weighs twenty pounds and is valued at twenty cents 'per pound or whether it weighs twenty-five pounds and sells at sixteen cents per pound, the value in either case being four dollars.

Having thus fully described my invention, what is claimed is 1. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a revoluble cutter-board, a knife, a gage-blade-carrying frame, a gage-blade supported thereby and movable to varying angular distances from the knife, and a revoluble indicating means supported by the gage-blade carrier and showable frame mounted on the bar, a gage-blade carried by said frame for contact with the cut end of a cheese, and a revoluble indicator carried by the frame and having an actuating member in engagement with said arcuate bar.

4. In a cheese-cutter, -a frame, a revoluble cutter-board, a knife, an arcuate bar, a slidable frame mounted on said bar, a gage-blade carried by the frame, a revoluble indicating means carried by the frame, and a frictionroller in contact with the bar and connected to said indicating means.

5. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a cutterboard, a knife, an arcuate bar, a frame slidably mounted on said bar, a gage-blade carried by the frame, a revoluble indicator supported by the frame, a friction-roller to be engaged by the arcuate bar and connected to the indicator, and a spring disposed between the frame and the arcuate bar and serving to maintain the roller in frictional contact with the bar.

6. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a revoluble cutter board, a knife, a slidablymounted frame, an arcuate bar carrying said frame, an indicating means supported by the frame, and serving to indicate the extent of angular adjustment of the frame, and means for locking the frame in any position to which it may be adjusted.

7 In a cheese-cutter, an indicating means including an arcuate bar, a frame slidably mounted thereon, a shaft or arbor mounted in bearings in the frame, a friction-roller mounted on the shaft or arbor and engaging one side of the bar, a spring disposed between the opposite side of the bar and the frame, a revoluble hand or pointer carried by the shaft or arbor, and a graduated dial over which the hand or pointer may travel.

8. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a revoluble cutter-board, acutting-knife, an arcuate bar supported by the frame, a slidable frame mounted on the arcuate bar, a gage-blade carried by said slidable frame, a shaft or arbor mounted in bearings in the frame, a frictionroller on said shaft or arbor and engaging the inner face of the bar, a spring carried by the slidable frame and bearing against the outer face of the bar at a point opposite the roller, and a revoluble indicating means carried by said shaft or arbor.

9. In a cheese-cutter, a supporting-frame, a revoluble cutter-board, a cutting-knife, an arcuate bar having graduations, a slidable frame mounted on the bar, a set-screw carried by the frame and serving as a handle for moving the same and as a locking means, a gage-blade carried by said slidable frame, a shaft or arbor mounted in bearings in said frame, a friction-roller carried by the shaft or arbor and bearing against the bar, a spring tending to keep the roller in operative engagement with the bar, a graduated dial supported by the frame, and a hand or pointer secured to the shaft or arbor and arranged to travel over said dial.

10. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a cutterboard, a cutting-blade, a detachable perforated tube carried by the blade and movable therewith during the perforating operation, the upper portion of the frame serving as a guide for said perforating-tube.

11. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a cutterboard, a cutting-knife and a perforator for the formation of a central opening in a cheese, said perforator being detachably secured to the blade and movable with said blade during the perforating operation.

12. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a cuttingknife, and a detachable perforating-tube constructed in part to form a guide for the inner edge of the knife, the knife and blade moving together to simultaneously form a perforation at the center of the cheese and a radial cut therein.

13. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a cuttingknife, a perforating-tube having a groove or recess for the reception of the inner edge of the knife, the two being connected for movement, and means for detachably securing the perforator to the knife.

14:. In a cheese-cutter, a frame, a cuttingknife, a perforating-tube adapted to an upper guide-opening in the frame, said perforatingtube having a groove or recess for the reception of the inner edge of the knife, a radial arm secured to the perforating-tube, and securing means for connecting the arm to the cutting-knife.

15. In a cheese-cuttena hollow center post having a longitudinally-disposed groove, a portion of the periphery of the post being cut away to form a vertical slot, a grooved center pin within the post, and a gage-blade having its inner edge fitted within said groove and movable with the pin as a center.

16. In a cheese-cutter, a revoluble-cutterboard, a hollow center post having a portion of its periphery cut away to form a vertical groove, a cutting-blade guided in part by the post, a grooved pin disposed within the post, and a pivotally-mounted gage-blade having its inner edge fitted within the groove and movable with the pin to different angular positions with respect to the cutting-blade.

17. In a cheese-cutter, a hollow center post having a portion of its periphery cut away, said post being further provided with a groove having inclined walls, one edge of the groove v being disposed adjacent to one of the walls of the cut-away portion, a cutting-knife having its inner edge guided within the groove, a grooved pin disposed within the post, and a pivotally-mounted gage-blade having its inner edge fitting within said groove and movable with the pin to different angular positions with respect to the cutting-blade.

18. In acheese-cutter, a frame, a revoluble cutter-board, a hollow center post having a portion of its periphery cut away, a groovepin arranged Within the post and revolulole independently thereof, a slidalole frame mounted on the bar, said bar having a recess or slot ad- 5 jacent to the cutting-blade, and a gage-blade pivotally mounted on the slidable frame, and having its inner edge curved, and fitted Within the groove of the pin, the recess of the arouate bar serving to receive the shank portion of the gage-blade when the latter is moved to inop- I0 erative position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

GEORGE W. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

G. E. MARTIN, WV. -W. BIARD. 

